This Did Not Come Up in John Snow’s Speech

The Chrysler Group has scrapped plans to build the Imperial, a big luxury car based on the Chrysler 300C, citing concerns about fuel economy in a market shifting away from gas guzzlers.

Chrysler officials said pending legislation in Washington that would dramatically increase Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards influenced the decision.

“It was based on our largest sedan and yet it was going to be considerably larger and considerably heavier,” said Chrysler spokesman Dave Elshoff. “Based on the current economic climate and based on stricter fuel efficiency regulations, we couldn’t justify building a car like that.”

Henry Payne of the Detroit News reports that manufacture of the Imperial would have added a new production shift and 1,000 jobs.

Fortunately, U.S. consumers will have many luxury foreign models to choose from instead, right?

UPDATE (5:15 p.m.) Should have been clearer: The Imperial was to be built in Brampton, Ontario, so it’s not U.S. production jobs being foregone.